Control for shuttle changing mechanism for looms



March W, W38.

W. VAN D. JEWETT CONTROL FOR SHUTTLE CHANGING MECHANISM FOR LOOMS Filed June 27, 1955 ATTORNEY.

2 Sheets-Sheet l March l, 193 w. .VAN D. JEWETT fi fi I CONTROL FOR SHUTTLE CHANGING MECHANISM FOR LOOMS Filed June 27, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 48 32 vwig/29 Vii.

I INVENTOR. )lz'am 0627,9170 #260612 Patented Mar. 10, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CONTROL FOR SHUTTLE CHANGING MECHANISM FOR LOOMS York Application June 27, 1933, Serial No. 677,937

Claims.

My present invention relates to looms and particularly to means for controlling the change of shuttles during a weaving operation, and is generally similar to the disclosure of my copending 5.. application, Serial No. 671,211, filed May 15, 1933.

In my said copending application, I provide means for positively preventing operation of the shuttle changing or conveying mechanism unless the shuttle to be conveyed from the supply magazine to the lay contains yarn of a predetermined character. This is effected through completion of an electric circuit by the weft detectors at the driving end of the loom and electrical contacts on the shuttle and supply magazine containing the 111- shuttles.

While the invention as disclosed in the above application and operating generally as described, is satisfactory and operative, I have since discovered that the invention may be practiced in a 520 much simplified form which retains the features of completion of the circuit through the weft detectors, shuttles, and supply magazine, but eliminating the auxiliary mechanism for stopping operation of the conveying mechanism, and rese lying on operation of standard parts of existing box looms for controlling the operation of the loo-m.

More specifically stated, in the present invention I contemplate the use of several shuttles,

30 each containing yarn of different color or character, and provide for assuring that when the bobbin in one of the shuttles is about exhausted, that the weft detector will operate an electric switch, and if the shuttle next to be supplied to 5 the loom from the supply magazine contains yarn of the proper color or character, then the operation of the loom will be stopped and the change of shuttles effected. This is the reverse of my prior application, because in said application the circuit was completed only if the shuttle next to be supplied contained yarn of a different color or character than that called for. Under the present invention, the electric circuits are much more simplified and the number of parts reduced,

45 and aside from this, the objects of the invention are generally the same as those stated in my prior application above identified.

The invention will be better understood after reading the following detailed description in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic view of electric circuits, two shuttles, and the detector switches arranged in accordance with the present invention; 55 Fig. 2 is a fragmentary diagrammatic view of means for stopping the loom in accordance with the present invention through the electric circuits;

Fig. 3 is a sectional View through a lay showing in elevation the known mechanism for stopping 5 the loom in the event the supply of yarn is exhausted from the shuttle and which are utilized in connection with the present invention;

Fig. 4 is an end elevation of the shuttle changing end of a loom to which the present invention 10 is applied;

Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic view similar to Fig. 2 showing the means for actuating the levers which effect stopping of the loom and starting of the shuttle changing mechanism; and 16 Fig. 6 is a detailed fragmentary front elevation of the shaft and elements carried thereby for effecting stopping of the loom and starting of the shuttle changing mechanism.

Referring first to Fig. 3, the numeral 5 desig- 20 nates the usual lay of a box loom, to the front of which is secured a stand 6 formed with bearings l pivotally supporting the center filling fork 8. A dagger 9 is pivoted on the stud l0 fixed to the lower portion of the stand 6 and is adjustably connected by a link II to the filling fork 8. A spring l2 encircles the end of the stud Ill, one end of the spring being secured in a notch in the end of the stud and the other end engaging a pin I3 projecting from the side of a dagger 9. At its rear end the dagger is provided with an extension M which is engaged by the upper end of an actuating rod IS. A more detailed disclosure of the construction and operation of the parts shown in Fig. 3 is given in Patent 1,223,708, and for the present it should only be necessary to mention that the filling fork 8 normally rests on yarn running across the lay, and in the event the yarn is exhausted the filling fork falls of its own weight moving the dagger and effecting stopping of the operation of the loom as hereinafter described.

Referring to Fig. 1, the numerals l6 and I! designate electric switches operated by detector fingers I8 and I9 respectively, [8 being for the shuttle operating in the upper box 20, and IQ for the shuttle in the lower box 2|, which boxes are actuated in known manner and as described in my application, Serial No. 671,211. The letters S, S, designate shuttles, each provided with contact plates 22 and 23 respectively, it being noted that the contact plate 22 on the shuttle S is nearer the left end of the shuttle than is the contact plate 23 on the shuttle S. This corresponds to the arrangement in my said copending application, whereby all shuttles S would contain a yarn of a particular color and character, and all shuttles S would contain yarn of another particular color or character. The shuttles are arranged in the supply magazine in alternate relation, so that all contacts 23 will be in alinement and all contacts 22 will be in alinement. Mechanism such as shown in Fig. 1 of my said copending application conveys the shuttles from the magazine to the lay. The numerals 24, 25, 26, and 21 designate electric contacts mounted in or at the supply magazine in position for engagement by the contact plates on the lowermost shuttle in the supply magazine. The contacts 24 and 25 constitute one pair for engagement by contact plates 22 on shuttles S, and the contacts 26 and 21 constitute another pair for engagement by contacts 23 on shuttles S. The contact 21 is connected by a wire 28 to the switch I6 for the upper box, and the contact 24 is connected by a wire 29 to the switch IT for the lower box. Contacts 25 and 26 are connected by wires 30 and 3| to one lead wire 32, also connected to the coil of an electro-magnet EM, which is also connected by a wire 33 to a switch, not shown, and which switch is connected to an electrical transformer, not shown, which is grounded through the wire 34 and connected to a source of electrical current supply.

Referring to Figs. 2 and 5, the electro-magnet EM is shown positioned above an arm 35 pivoted at 36 on an arm 31 which is keyed to a shaft 38. As is well known, the shaft 38 carries a tripping arm, which at certain times hits and releases the shipper handle, not shown, to stop the loom, such parts being shown in Patent 652,224. When magnet EM is energized, the arm 35 is raised, and given a reciprocating motion, as indicated by the arrows in Figs. 2 and 5, by a lever 39, operated by a cam 39 on the cam shaft OS of the loom. This action of arm 35 causes tripping arm 40 on shaft 38, Fig. 6, to hit the shipper handle to stop the loom, and the other tripping arm 4| to actuate the shuttle changing mechanism in known manner. The operation of these parts is well known in box looms. The dagger 9 also engages a part on the shaft 38, not shown, when the filling fork 8 drops down to also shift the shipper handle and stop the loom.

With the foregoing in mind, and assuming that the shuttles S are operating in the upper box 20 and for the purposes of illustration carry bobbins containing pink yarn, while the shuttles S operate in the lower box 2| and contain bobbins on which is wound blue yarn, the operation would be as follows under the arrangement shown where the shuttle S is the lowermost in the magazine, and, therefore, the next to be fed to the lay by the shuttle changing mechanism, if the finger |8 detects that the shuttle S is to be replaced a circuit is completed through the switch I6, wire 28, contact 21, plate 23, contact 26, wires 3| and 32, through the electro-magnet, which is energized to lift the arm 35, actuate the arm 31, whereupon shaft 38 operates the shipper handle, thereby stopping the loom. Also this motion of arm 31 actuates the shuttle changing mechanism and effects the change of shuttle, after which the same mechanism automatically starts the loom in known manner. If, on the other hand, the finger |9 detects that a shuttle S is to be placed, and, as illustrated, a shuttle S is next in order to be transmitted to the lay by the shuttle changing mechanism, no circuit will be completed through the electro-magnet because the contact plate 23 will bridge the contacts 26 and 21 which are not connected with the switch I! and the loom will continue to operate until all of the yarn on the shuttle which is in the loom is exhausted, whereupon the filling fork 8 will drop down and the sword 9 will be actuated to engage the mechanism which operates the shipper handle to stop the loom. The loom will therefore remain idle until the operator manually inserts the proper shuttle in the loom.

From the foregoing, it should be obvious that by utilizing the standard filling fork construction for stopping the loom instead of applying the auxiliary stop for the shuttle changing as disclosed in my prior application, I reduce the cost of the installation without sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention, nor causing additional labor, because under either arrangement, when the loom has been stopped because the wrong shuttle is to be fed from the magazine, it is necessary for the operator to manually make the proper adjustment and start the loom operating by manipulating the shipper handle.

Although I have referred to my said co-pending application in connection with the shuttle changing mechanism I have shown in Fig. 4 of the present application, substantially the same mechanism as that shown in Fig. 1 of my said co-pending application. In the present case, the numeraldesignates the frame of the loom on one end of which is mounted the shuttle supply magazine 46 containing the reserve shuttles. Beneath the magazine is a shuttle support 41 on which the lowermost shuttle in the magazine 46 normally rests. The support 41 is carried by arms 48 pivoted at 49 on a pin around which is a coil spring, not shown, which normally holds the arms 48 and support 41 in the position shown in Fig. 4 beneath the magazine 46. The pin 49 is journaled through lugs 50 on the front of the magazine, and the parts 41, 48, may be termed the magazine gate. A depending finger 5| is also attached to the gate. A shuttle ejector 52 is provided with horizontally disposed fingers 53 and is connected to a conveyor lever 54 pivotally mounted on the frame 45 as designated by the numeral 55 below the usual hopper 56 which receives the exhausted shuttles when discharged from the loom. Behind the finger 5| there is connected to the ejector for movement therewith, a projection 51. veyor lever 54 is connected at 58 to a cam on the usual change shaft, not shown, to actuate the conveyor lever in the usual manner.

A chute 59 leads. from the front edge of the lay down into the hopper 56. At the front edge of the lay behind the chute 59 are normally disposed arms 60 of a rocker pivotally mounted at 6| on brackets 62, which are usually attached to the transfer end of the lay. The arms 60 are normally held in position, shown in Fig. 4, by a spring 63 connected to the brackets and to the arms. As is well known, the rockers are moved to lift the arms 68 when a change of shuttles is to be effected by a rod 64 connected to the short end of the rockers and also connected to mechanism operated by the said change shaft, not shown.

An ejector has an arm 65 disposed at the rear of the lay and between which and the arm 68 the shuttles run. This ejector is normally held in the position shown in Fig. 4, and is operated by movement of the arm 60 to remove the exhausted shuttle from the lay and project it down the chute 59 into the hopper 56 whenever the mechanism operated by the change shaft raises the The conarm 60. This mechanism and its operation is so well known that I deem it unnecessary to make any detailed description thereof in this application.

The manner of constructing a loom in accordance with this invention, or of converting plain shuttle looms into selective shuttle looms should be obvious from the foregoing.

I claim:

1. In a loom having a plurality of shuttle boxes, a shuttle for each box, each shuttle containing yarn of different characteristics, an electrical conducting element on each shuttle positioned according to the character of the yarn carried by the shuttle, a weft detector for each shuttle, a shuttle supply magazine, electric contacts at the discharge end of the magazine, means to replace shuttles in the loom with shuttles from said maga zine, and means to automatically stop operation of the loom during operation of the shuttle replacing means, the combination of mechanism controlling the operation of said last named means in response to electric circuits established through said detectors, contacts at the magazine and said elements.

2. A loom having a plurality of shuttle boxes, a shuttle for each box, a Weft detector for each shuttle, a single channel shuttle supply magazine, electrical contacts at the discharge end of the magazine, contact plates on the shuttles for engagement with the contacts on the magazine, the contacts on the shuttles containing yarn of one character being in alinement and those on the shuttles of another character being also in alinement but not alined with the first, weft detectors for the shuttles in the loom, electric switches operable by said weft detectors, and an electro-magnet electrically connected with said contacts at the magazine and said switches to control operation of the loom.

3. A loom having a plurality of shuttle boxes, a shuttle for each box, a weft detector for each shuttle, a shuttle supply magazine, means to automatically replace the shuttles in the loom with those in the magazine, means to automatically stop operation of the loom during operation of the shuttle changing means, electrical contacts at the magazine, contact plates on the shuttles for engagement with the contacts on the magazine, the contacts on the shuttles containing yarn of one character being in alinement and those on the shuttles of another character being also in alinement but not alined with the first, weft detectors for the shuttles in the loom, electric switches operable by said weft detectors, an electro-magnet electrically connected with said contacts at the magazine and said switches to operate the means for stopping operation of the loom during replacement of the shuttle, a filling fork, and means operable by said filling fork to stop operation of the loom when the yarn on a shuttle to be replaced is exhausted in the event the shuttle next to be supplied does not contain yarn of the same character as that on a shuttle to be replaced.

4. Controlling means for shuttle changing mechanism of looms having a plurality of shuttle boxes at an end of the lay each adapted to contain a yarn of different characteristic, a shuttle supply magazine at the other end of the lay to hold a plurality of shuttles containing yarns of the same character as those in the shuttles in said boxes, means to replace said first shuttles by said second shuttles, and means to stop operation of the loom during operation of said first means and to start operation of the loom after replacement, comprising, a weft detector for each box, electric contacts at said magazine connected with said. weft detectors, an electrical conducting element on each shuttle arranged at predetermined corresponding points thereon accord.- ing to the character of yarn in the shuttles for engagement with the contacts at the magazine, and means operable by completion of circuits through said contacts and detectors to actuate said stopping means when the shuttle next to be conveyed from the magazine contains a yarn of the same character as that in the shuttle to be replaced as determined by said detectors.

5. Controlling means for shuttle changing mechanism of looms having a plurality of shuttle boxes at an end of the lay each adapted to contain a. yarn of different characteristic, a shuttle supply magazine at the other end of the lay to hold a plurality of shuttles containing yarns of the same character as those in the shuttles in said boxes, means to replace said first shuttles by said second shuttles, and means to stop operation of the loom during operation of said first means and to start operation of the loom after replacement, comprising, a weft detecto'r for each box, electric contacts at said magazine connected with said weft detectors, an electrical conducting element on each shuttle arranged at predetermined corresponding points thereon according to the character of yarn in the shuttles fo'r engagement with the contacts at the magazine, and means operable by completion of circuits through said contacts and detectors to actuate said stopping means when the shuttle next to be conveyed from the magazine contains a yarn of the same character as that in the shuttle to be replaced as determined by said detectors, the contacts at the magazine being directly connected with said detectors and actuating means, and the relative arrangement of the elements on the shuttles and contacts at the magazine being such that said stopping means is inoperative if a shuttle containing yarn of a different character than that on the shuttle to be replaced is next in order for delivery to the lay.

WILLIAM VAN DUYN JEWETT. 

